Before there were packaged goods, processed foods, GMOs and an ongoing debate between organic or not, there was dirt, seeds, water and roaming animals. It may be hard to consider now, but the dawn of man produced hunters and gatherers and humans had to get their own food – not by heading to the supermarket.

There were no sprays to kill insects, no chemicals or genes added or modified. No extra-large tomatoes or vibrant yellow bananas. Food was simple. It was either found, picked or hunted. And although there weren’t doctors or research scientists to confirm the benefits of such eating, it seems that when it comes to dietary habits, eating like our ancestors has some merit.

Diets come and diets go, but one in particular seems to have staying power and for good reasons as well. It’s based on eating similar to that of prehistoric man and it’s being touted as one of the best way to eat. It’s called the Paleo diet.

What is the Paleo diet?
The Paleo diet was created by Loren Cordain, a now-famous author, speaker and professor of health and exercise science at Colorado State University, who specializes in disease and diet. The Paleo diet itself reflects food items and methods of eating similar to our Stone Age ancestors – that’s right, this diet is framed around eating like cavemen. Through scientific research and peer-reviewed studies, Cordain has uncovered many health benefits to eating the Stone Age way.

There are seven premise on which the Paleo diet guidelines are based:

High protein
Low carbohydrates and low glycemic index
High fiber
Moderate to high fat intake – monosaturated and polysaturated fats with omega-3s and 6s

High potassium, low sodium
Net dietary alkaline balances dietary acid – some foods produce acid (meat) and others are alkaline (fruits and vegetables). Eating a balance of both alkaline and acid foods can have positive health effects.

High intake of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and plant phytochemicals.

For those who don’t know if there is a relationship between your acne condition and the foods you eat, let me tell you that there is. You might have heard that oily foods cause acne, but this isn’t entirely true. Oily foods have caused internal changes including high cholesterol levels, but they don’t really have a huge impact on the skin condition. When does oil affect skin conditions such as acne? The only time oil would affect your acne condition, is when you use cosmetic products that have animal fats, oils and additives. Most of the makeup products and skin care products on the market today have oils added to them.

One thing you should begin doing is purchase herbal skin care products that contain no oils or preservative chemicals. These additional chemicals and oils will only cause harm to your skin condition. For those who have acne, it is never a good idea to use tons of makeup. Makeup may seem like a great way to hide your acne, but it surely does not make things any better. The types of food you eat will affect your overall acne condition. The following are some of the foods you should and shouldn’t limit on a daily basis, if you intend on controlling your acne.

The calcium rich fluid we all love drinking could be bad for your acne condition. Milk has been a great addition to any breakfast meal, but it could lead to your acne getting worse than it already is. Since milk originally comes from cows, there is a significant amount of fat and hormones which could cause an imbalance in your acne condition. I am not saying that you should stop drinking milk, but it would help if you could limit your daily intake. If you are someone who drinks milk several times a day, it could be a problem for your acne.

The one type of oil that is considered to be a helper in your acne condition is Omega 3 fat oils. All types of fishes have this fish oil in them, and they have been known to prevent acne and keep skin looking fresh. Whether you are cooking the fish or simply having some sushi, it is considered to be great for your skin and overall health. Apart from the acne benefits of fish, you would also be taking in some much needed proteins.

Oranges and berries are two amazing types of fruits you should eat at least once a day. When I say berries, I mean all sorts of berries; whether it is strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or blackberries. Berries and oranges have high antioxidant content along with nutrients that help with skin development and acne prevention. By eating such fruits, you’ll be able to get rid of the bad skin cells, which allows for new skin development. During skin development, one thing you should do is drink lots of fluids. Water and concentrated juices are the best, as they give your body the hydration, vitamins and energy.

I hope this you can incorporate parts of this acne diet into your everyday meals, so that you can get rid of all the acne and live a young and healthy life.

Are you dissatisfied with your weight? Are you feeling frustrated because you are trying so hard to lose weight, and even when you do, the pounds seem to slip back on again? Do you feel you are in a losing battle, helpless to be the weight you want to be?

Well if you are, know that you are not alone. Many people have similar feelings and frustrations with the “Battle of the Bulge.” As a psychotherapist, I counseled many people with a variety of problems. One issue that often came up was weight control. Over the years, I have learned some important insights into the reasons why we have so much trouble being our desired weight.

To begin with, there are two parts of us in our subconscious which are in a tug of war. We will call them the positive and the negative scared parts. The positive part pulls you in one direction as it says, “I want to lose weight.” Simultaneously, the negative scared part pulls you the opposite way, as it screams, “I’m afraid to lose weight!”, and sabotages all your efforts.

As you can see, if you are not your desired weight, it is often because the negative scared part is in control. Therefore, you need to get in touch with and overcome your specific fears around weight loss so that the positive part can win the battle. The following are some of the negative decisions or fears, which were uncovered in my clients’ unconscious that were keeping them from being their desired weight:

1. “If I’m slim and attractive, people will reject me.” (Peers were jealous of her attractiveness as she developed around the age of twelve.)

2. “It’s not safe to be slim.” (She was molested.)

3. “If I’m slim, I will attract another relationship and I’m afraid to get hurt again.” (She was hurt in a previous relationship so she built a wall of fat to protect herself.)

4. “If I’m slim, I will be sick.” (She was very slim and sick when she was a child.)

5. “If I’m slim, I will be weak.” (A bully attacked him when he was ten.)

6. “I’m afraid I won’t have enough food later.” (When he was a child, he was often hungry.)

7. “I can’t handle all the attention I get from men.” (She was very attractive when she was slim.)

8. “I’m afraid that he will only want me for my body.” (She felt she was not appreciated for her intelligence.)

9. “Food means love and attention.” (As a child she only experienced love and attention when she was fed.)

10. “I’m afraid to feel my feelings.” (She stuffed her feelings, especially fear and anger.)

After the clients identified and overcame their fears of being their desired weight, they often said, “This is the first time in my life that I’m finding my weight loss program effortless”. They realized that their unconscious negative part was quiet and was no longer fighting their willful efforts to be slim.

To summarize, in order for you to dare to be slim, you need to overcome your fears. You really can be the person you want to be. You deserve to be that happy, healthy, attractive, slender person. Go for it!